Can opener



April 8, 1958 H. J. CHRISTOPHER CAN OPENER Filed July 26, 1956 INVENTOR. HENRY J CHRISTOPHER ATTORNEYS.

CAN OPENER Henry J. Christopher, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 26, 1956, Serial No. 600,185 11 Claims. (ct. 220-52 This invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to a device for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum sealed container.

Many food products, such as coffee, nut meats, fish, etc. are packed in containers that are vacuum sealed. Such containers usually have a metal tear strip that is adapted to be unwound from the can to separate the top of the container from the bottom of the container; Various devices have been proposed heretofore for facilitating the removal of such tear strips, the device most commonly being used being in the form of a key having a slot therein in which the end of the tear strip is engaged and the key then rotated to wind the tear strip on the shank of the key and thus separate it from the container. The use of such keys is not only awkward but dangerous as well, since it often happens that the sharp edges of the tear strip being unwound often cut the users fingers.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for removing such tear strips from vacuum sealed containers that is relatively simple in its construction and is very eflicient in operation. r

The device ofthe present invention is designed so that it can be gripped firmly in the hands of the user while the users hands at the same time are prevented from coming in contact with the tear strip being removed so that the possibility ofinjury to the user is eliminated.

The can opener of the present invention is furthermore designed so as to very effectively grip the end of the tear strip that is to be removed and thus eliminate the usual diificulty thatis encountered with conventional openers where the key slips out of engagement with the tear strip after'the key is partially open. a r

The present device, in addition, is designed so as to accommodate tear strips of different widths witn'equal facility.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken inconjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the opener of the present invention as viewed in the operation of removing a tear strip from a vacuum sealed container.

Fig. 2'is a side elevational view'of, the device, parts being shown in section to better illustrate the internal construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 4- and showa to the sidewall 14 by means of a sealing strip 16 that is defined' by score lines 18 around side wall of the can. The can opener of this invention includes a handle or hand grip member 22, a head 24. and a crank 26. Head nited tates Patent 0 24 is preferably formed as a casting having a cylindrical bore 28 which is open at its lower end and provided with an opening at its upper end through which the shank 30' of crank 26 projects. At one side thereof, head 24 is fashioned with an abutment 32; and at the lower end thereof, the head is provided with a depending post or lug 34 which is offset laterally from the bore 28. The handle 22 may be conveniently formed from a length of heavy spring wire fashioned intermediate its ends into a loop 36 from which extend leg portions 38 and 40. The free end of leg portion 38 is firmly secured within a socket formed in abutment 32. The free end portion of leg 40 is return bent as at 42 into U shape configuration, the extreme end being fashioned with a straight portion 44 generally parallel to but'spaced from leg 40 and with an outwardly turned extreme end portion 46. Post 34 is arranged to extend downwardly through the space 48 defined by the U-shaped portion of leg 40.

The free end of shank 30 within head 24 has secured thereto a cylindrical extension 59, the end of which is reduced as at 52 into semi-cylindrical shape. Around extension $9, there is arranged a spool or sleeve 54. A pin 56 in extension 59 engages within a slot in spool 54 to permit a small amount of relative rotation between extension 50 and spool 54'. A coil spring 6% within bore 28 acts between the upper end of spool 54 and the upper end of head 24 to bias crank as, with the spool 54 connected thereto, downwardly to a position where the lower end of sleeve 54 projects downwardly below the lower end of head 24 for about /8". The lower end of extension 56.? terminates approximately at the lower end of sleeve 54. The return bent portion 4-2 of leg as overlies the ends of extension 50 and spool 54.

At one side thereof and adjacent its lower end, spool 54- is provided with a vertical slot 62 which extends upwardly from the lower end of the spool for about /2. Along one side of slot 62, spool 5- is crimped radially inwardly a slight amount such that when crank 26 is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed from the top, the semi-cylindrical end portion 52 of extension, 50 engages the inwardly struck edge 64 adjacent slot 62'. The edge of extension 52 that engages the edge 64', of sleeve 54 is, preferably fashioned with a rectangularly recessed portion 66 for generally interfitting with the inwardly projecting edge portion 64 of spool 54.

When it is desired to remove'the sealing strip from a vacuum sealed container, the opener is preferably gripped in the palm of the left hand with the thumb placed on the flat upper face 33 of abutment C 2 and with the index finger hooked upwardly between the leg portions ii) and 46. The right hand is utilized for turning crank 26. The

end tab of the sealing strip is inserted through slot .62 (Fig. 1) so as to extend into the recess 68 within spool 54 that is provided by the cut-away portion of extension 50. Crank 26 is then rotated in a clockwise direction. As crank 26 is rotated, the recessed edge 66 of the semicylindrical portion 52 rotates to a position whereinv the end tab 7d of sealing strip 16 is firmly pinched between the edge 6 of spool 54 and the recessed edge portion es. Since the recessed edge portion 66 is shaped to generally interfit with the inwardly extending edge portion 64 of spool 54, the end tab 66 is crimped between. these end portions so as to be gripped very firmly. Initial rotation of handle 26 causes container it) to revolve'about; head 24 until it contacts the end portion. 46 of lower leg 49. End portion 46 thus serves as a guide for the container. 7 V

Further rotation of handle 26 causes the sealing strip 16 to be separated from the container and wound around the lower end of spool 54, the container revolvingease guided by end portion 46 and return bend 42 of lower leg 40. At the same time, since legs 38 and 40 are resilient and tightly gripped in the users hands, the crank assembly is shifted upwardly in head 24 from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2 wherein the upper edge of the sealing strip 16 being wound around spool 54 contacts the lower flat face 72 of head 24-. Thus, the strip being removed from the container is guided as it winds itself on spool 54 between the return bent portion 42 of leg 40 and the lower fiat face 72 of head 24. At the same time, since post 34 extends downwardly between leg 40 and the end portion 44 of the handle, resilience is imparted to the two legs of the handle; but at the same time, rigidity is not sacrificed and the handle is not subjected to a twisting movement. It is very easily held in an upright position; and, of course, this is facilitated by the provision of thethumb rest at 33 and recess for the index finger provided between leg 40 and end portion 46.

Thus, the opener of this invention is adapted to be used for removing from vacuum sealed containers sealing strips of different widths. The device becomes selfadjusting to the width of the sealing strip to be removed by simply gripping it. After the sealing strip is completely removed from the container and completely wound on the end of sleeve 54 as shown in Fig. 2, handle 26 is simply pulled upwardly and the wound coil of the sealing strip 16 automatically slips, without contacting the users fingers, oif the end of sleeve 54.

It will be appreciated, of course, that as soon as the turning of handle 26 is stopped, the end tab 70 of the sealing strip is released from between the edges 64 and 66. On the other hand, as long as the turning movement of handle 26 is continued, the snubbing action on tab 70 by edges 64 and 66 continues to be effective to engage tab '70 in a non-slipping manner. As a matter of fact, the greater resistance to the turning of handle 26 produces a greater snubbing action on tab 7t).

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an opener for removing the sealing strip from vacuum sealed container that is constructed and designed so as to be operated simply and in a very efficient manner. The strip being removed from the container is carefully wound on spool 54 and is confined forwardly of depending lug 34 between the return bent portion 42 and the fiat bottom face 72 of the head. Thus, the possibility of the users fingers being cut by the sealing strip as it is unwound from the container and wound onto sleeve 54 is eliminated. At the same time, as mentioned above, the resilient construction of the handle renders the device automatically self-adjusting to the width of sealing strip that is being removed. Likewise by mounting the crank assembly so that it is axially shiftable in head 24, the wound strip can be ejected in a'very safe manner. a

I claim: V V

1. A device for removing the sealing strip from a sealed container comprising an elongate handle having a head at one end thereof, a crank assembly supported in said head for rotation on an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, said crank assembly including a crank proper and a slotted spool projecting beyond one end of the head and surrounding a portion of the shank of said crank, said crank being rotatable relative to said spool whereby when the end portion of the sealing strip is inserted through said slot and the crank is rotated, said end portion of the sealing strip is gripped between the spool and the shank of said crank and the strip is wound on said spool means biasing said crank assembly axially in one direction to project the slotted end of the spool outwardly from said end of the head, means forming a guide projecting axially from said end of said head beyond the end of said spool and laterally ofiset therefrom, said handle including a portion movable generally axially of said head, said portionof the handle engaging said axially extending guide and said end of the spool to shift said end of the spool inwardly of said head against the resistance of said biasing means.

2. A device as called for in claim 1 wherein said portion of said handle and said end of said head provide guide surfaces for the opposite edges of the sealing strip being wound on said spool.

3. A device as called for in claim 1 wherein said portion of the handle comprises a resilient member having a portion laterally offset from the plane of the handle and adapted to be engaged by the container and serve as a guide against which the container revolves as said crank is rotated.

4. A device is called for in claim 3 wherein said resilient member comprises a leg having a return bent portion at the outer end thereof, said return bent portion engaging the end of said spool and extending around said axially extending guide on said head.

5. A can opener of the type including an axially slotted spool of cylindrical shape surrounding a shaft member which is rotatable relative to the spool wherein the spool adjacent one edge of said slot is displaced radially inwardly relative to the opposite edge of the slot and the shaft member is provided with a cylindrical outer surface having a radially inwardly relieved portion, said relieved portion extending axially of said shank and defining an axially extending edge portion on said cylindrical surface within said spool, said edge portion of said shank being arranged'to engage said inwardly displaced portion of the spool at said edge of the slot when the shalt member is rotated relative to the spool 6. A can opener of the type including an axially slotted spool surrounding a generally cylindrical shaft member which is rotatable relative to the spool wherein the portion of said shaft member axially adjacent the slotted portion of the spool is relieved radially inwardly to define on the cylindrical surface of the shaft an axially extending edge adapted to register with said slot in one rotative position of said shaft member, the inner edge of said slot at one side thereof being displaced radially inwardly relative to the opposite inner edge of said slot, said axially extending edge of said shaft member being adapted to'abut against said inwardly displaced edge of the slot when the shaft member is rotated relative to the spool;

7. A can opener of the type including an axially slotted spool surrounding a shaft member which is rotatable relative to the spool wherein the portion of said spool adjacent one side of said slot is displaced radially inwardly relative to the portion of said spool adjacent the opposite edge of said slot, said radially inwardly displaced portion of said spool forming an axially extending abutment along said slot within said spool, the portion of said shaft member axially adjacent said slot being relieved radially inwardly to form an edge portion adapted to engage said axially extending abutment when the shaft is rotated in one direction.

8. A can opener as called for in claim 7 wherein said edge portion of said shaft member has a cross sectional shape generally conforming to the cross sectional shape of said abutment.

9. A can opener as called for in claim 7 wherein said abutment has a radially extending face portion comprising an edge of said slot and a circumferentially extend ing face portion comprising the inner surface of said spool, said edge portion of the shaft member having generally correspondingly disposed faces arranged to interfit with said abutment when the handle is rotated in one direction.

10. A can opener of the type including an axially slotted spool surrounding agenerally cylindrical shaft member which is rotatable relative to the spool wherein an end portion of the shaft member within the spool is portion of the shaft being disposed adjacent the axial slot on the spool, the slot on the spool being defined by a pair of axially extending opposed edge portions, one of said edge portions defining said slot being bent radially inwardly relative to the other edge portion defining the slot and lying in the path of travel of said axially extending straight edge portion of the shaft when the shaft is rotated.

11. A can opener as called for in claim 10 wherein said spool comprises a generally cylindrically shaped 10 2,732,093

sleeve and said inwardly bent edge portion thereof defines a relatively sharp comer in radial section, the cut away portion of said spool defining an axially extending recess on the spool shaped to generally interfit with said 2,286,039 Reynolds June 9, 1942 2,710,111 Cable et al June 7, 1955 Chincholl Ian. 24, 1956 2,765,952 Sorurn Oct. 9, 1956 

